Ken Curtis was an American singer and actor best known for his role as Festus Haggen in the CBS western series Gunsmoke. Although he had appeared in other roles on Gunsmoke before, he was first cast as Festus in Season 8, Episode 13, December 8, 1962 “Us Haggens”. His next appearance was in season 9, episode 2, October 5, 1963, as Kyle Kelly, in “Lover Boy”.
Ken Curtis Net Worth Was $5.5 Million Dollars (Approx) As of His Death.
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Ken Curtis Biography.
Ken Curtis was an American singer and actor best known for his role as Festus Haggen in the CBS western series Gunsmoke. Although he had appeared in other roles on Gunsmoke before, he was first cast as Festus in Season 8, Episode 13, December 8, 1962 “Us Haggens”. His next appearance was in season 9, episode 2, October 5, 1963, as Kyle Kelly, in “Lover Boy”.
Curtis permanently joined the cast of Gunsmoke as Festus in “Prairie Wolfer”, season 9, episode 16, January 18, 1964; however, this is often confused with a 1969 episode of the same name (“Prairie Wolfer”), made five years later.
Curtis was born the youngest of three boys in Lamar in Prowers County in southeastern Colorado and spent his first ten years on a ranch on Muddy Creek in eastern Bent County. In 1926 the family moved to Las Animas, the county seat of Bent County, so that his father, Dan Sullivan Gates, could run for sheriff. The campaign was successful, and Gates served as Bent County Sheriff from 1926 to 1931. The family lived below the jail because the jail took up the entire second floor and his mother, Nellie Sneed Gates, cooked for the prisoners. The jail is located on the grounds of the Bent County Courthouse in Las Animas for historic preservation reasons.
Curtis was the quarterback of his Bent County High School soccer team and played clarinet in the school band. He graduated in 1935. During World War II Curtis served in the United States Army from 1943 to 1945.
He attended Colorado College to study medicine but left after a short time to pursue his musical career.
Curtis was a singer before turning to acting, and combined the two careers when he got into movies. Curtis was in the Tommy Dorsey Band in 1941, replacing Frank Sinatra as lead singer until Dick Haymes replaced Sinatra by contract in 1942. Curtis may have only served as insurance against Sinatra’s likely departure, and it was Dorsey who suggested that Gates change his name to Ken Curtis. Curtis then joined Shep Fields and His New Music, an all-wind band that dispensed with a horn section.
Curtis met his first wife, Lorraine Page, at Universal Studios and married her in 1943. During much of 1948, Curtis was the singer and host of the long-running country music radio program WWVA Jamboree.
Ken Curtis joined the Sons of the Pioneers as lead singer from 1949 to 1952. His major hits with the group included “Room Full of Roses” and “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky.”
Columbia Pictures signed Curtis in 1945. With the Hoosier Hot Shots, he starred as a singing cowboy in a series of musical westerns.
By his second marriage, Curtis was a son-in-law of film director John Ford. Curtis worked with Ford and John Wayne in Rio Grande. He was a singer in the fictional band The Regimental Singers, which in reality consisted of the Sons of the Pioneers.
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Ken Curtis Net Worth.
| Net Worth | $5.5 Million Dollars |
|---|---|
| Name | Ken Curtis |
| Real Name | Curtis Wain Gates |
| Date Of Birth | July 2, 1916 |
| Age | 74 Years ( At Death) |
| Place Of Birth | Lamar, Colorado, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | American |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Torrie Ahern Connelly |
| Parents | N/A |
| Death | April 28, 1991 |
| Height | 6 Feet or 183 Cm |
| Weight | N/A |
Ken Curtis Net Worth Was $5.5 Million Dollars (Approx) As of His Death.
Ken Curtis Net Worth is Not an accurate Number As There is not any official disclosure of it. Ken Curtis Net Worth mentioned above is collected from various authentic sources. If you think that the above information is incorrect Then please let us know the correct details in the comments below.
Ken Curtis Parents.
There Is not much information about Ken Curtis Parents from Trusted Sources. Once we get more information about Ken Curtis, we will update this page with more information.
Ken Curtis Wife.
Ken Curtis Wife Name Is Torrie Ahern Connelly.Ken Curtis and Torrie Ahern Connelly Got married in the Year 1966 and they Were together Till his death.
There Is not much information about Ken Curtis Wife from Trusted Sources. Once we get more information about Ken Curtis, we will update this page with more information.
Ken Curtis Children.
Ken Curtis Has Two Children.
There Is not much information about Ken Curtis Children from Trusted Sources. Once we get more information about Ken Curtis, we will update this page with more information.
Ken Curtis Age.
Ken Curtis was Born on July 2, 1916 in Lamar, Colorado, United States.
As Of His Death, Ken Curtis Age Was 74 Years.
There Is not much information about Ken Curtis Age from Trusted Sources. Once we get more information about Ken Curtis, we will update this page with more information.
Ken Curtis Death.
Ken Curtis died in his sleep of a heart attack in Fresno, California on April 28, 1991. He was cremated and his ashes were scattered on the plains of Colorado.
Ken Curtis Height.
Ken Curtis Height is 6 Feet or 183 Cm.
Ken Curtis Nationality.
Ken Curtis Nationality is American Nationality.
Ken Curtis Ethnicity.
Ken Curtis Ethnicity is American Ethnicity.
Ken Curtis Instagram.
As per our records, Ken Curtis did not have an Instagram handle or any other Social Media Profiles.
He was not on Instagram And Other Social Media Handles Officially.
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Common FAQ About Ken Curtis.
- How Much Is the Ken Curtis Net Worth?
Ken Curtis Net Worth Was $5.5 Million Dollars (Approx) As of His Death.
- How Much Is the Ken Curtis Salary?
Ken Curtis Salary Is Not Disclosed.
- What is Ken Curtis Age?
As Of His Death, Ken Curtis Age Was 74 Years.
- What Is Ken Curtis Date Of Birth?
Ken Curtis Date Of Birth Is July 2, 1916.
- What Is Ken Curtis Date Of Death?
Ken Curtis Date Of Death Is April 28, 1991.
- What Is Ken Curtis Wife Name?
Ken Curtis Wife Name Is Torrie Ahern Connelly.
- What Is Ken Curtis Son Name?
Ken Curtis Son Name Is Not Disclosed.
- What Is Ken Curtis Daughter Name?
Ken Curtis Daughter Name Is Not Disclosed.
- What Is Ken Curtis Nationality?
Ken Curtis Nationality Is American Nationality.
- What Is Ken Curtis Ethnicity?
Ken Curtis Ethnicity Is American Ethnicity.
- What Is Ken Curtis Height?
Ken Curtis Height is 6 Feet or 183 Cm.
- What Is Ken Curtis Weight?
Ken Curtis Weight Is Not Disclosed.
3 Comments
Did ken Curtis record anything
We have enjoyed watching this great actor Festus on Gunsmoke. We just saw and heard him sing Tumbleweed on iTunes. He had a terrific voice! What a man!
I never miss gunsmoke on tv i watch all the shows two and three times. i love his singing. I laugh my head off when him and doc go at it on the show. Chester was very annoying did not like him much. Thanks so much for the chance to talk about festis.